Canvass confirms Yussuf will be on St. Cloud school board ballot

It's official. Hassan Abdullahi Yussuf will be on the ballot for St. Cloud school board this November.

On Thursday, the St. Cloud school board canvassed results from the school district's primary election after a recount earlier this week.

Yussuf was one of seven candidates in the primary vying to get on the general election ballot in which six candidates will compete for three seats.

Though Yussuf held on to sixth place as the polls closed Aug. 12, the district was later made aware of a reporting error that nudged candidate Scott Andreasen into sixth place by four votes.

A losing candidate is allowed to ask for a recount, and with the vote margin of only four votes it was the district's responsibility to pay for the recount. If there is a larger margin the candidate may be asked to pay for a recount.

District employees and several Stearns County staff counted ballots Tuesday with Andreasen and Yussuf present.

The four-vote lead gave way to a one-vote win for Yussuf as the ballots were totaled. Yussuf's vote total of 1,317 did not change throughout the recount but Andreasen lost five votes, dropping to 1,316.

Yussuf joins newcomer Michael Conway, former board member Bruce Hentges and incumbents Jerry Von Korff, Bruce Mohs and Peter Hamerlinck. Three will be elected and begin new terms in January.

Follow Marta Jewson on Twitter @martajewson or reach her by phone at 320-255-8743.